Thoracoscopic diaphragmatic plication using three 5 mm ports.

Thoracoscopic plication is the most effective treatment for diaphragmatic enventration. However, the conventional thoracoscopic plication procedure introduced by Mouroux in 1996 has some disadvantages. We improved and simplified the Mouroux technique with the patient in the head up position, CO(2) insufflations and figure-of-eight sutures. These were possible to perform by pure thoracoscopic surgery using three 5 mm ports without the requirement for open thoracotomy.